Waste disposal unit



Oct. 23, GREEN WASTE DISPOSAL UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 25 19.50

INVENTOR. 777422 171 Green 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M. J. GREEN WASTE DISPOSAL UNIT Oct. 23, 1956 Filed Aug. 23, 1950 INVENTOR. fizz/Z01 Jrcezz, BY fi 6 W m I Qy's United States Patent WASTE DISPOSAL UNIT Martin J. Green, Chicago, 111.

Application August 23, 1950, Serial No. 181,040

16 Claims. (Cl. 241-32.5)

This invention relates in general to waste disposal units, and more particularly to improvements in comminuting units which are adapted to be attached to a sink, such as disclosed in my copending application for United States Letters Patent, Serial No. 656,459, filed March 22, 1946, issued July 21, 1953, as No. 2,646,222.

The disposal unit forming the subject matter of said prior application comprises an outer casing secured to and depending from a sink, in vertical alignment with the usual drain opening in the sink, which houses a hollow cylindrical waste and Water receiving member that is rotatable by an electric motor and carries saw-like cutting or comminuting elements extending inwardly beyond its inner walls. These cutting elements are spaced from each other vertically and circumferentially of the rotatable receiving member, and a stationary comminuting member extends downwardly into the latter in very close proximity to one side and the bottom thereof and is provided with horizontally disposed slots in its outer vertical surface through which the cutting elements carried by the rotatable receiving member pass. Rotation of the receiving member maintains a wall of water extending up its sides by centrifugal force and delivers the waste material to be comminuted into engagement with the substantially radially disposed bafile surface of the stationary comminuting member for repeated cutting by the rotating comminuting elements. The bottom of the rotatable receiving member is provided with outlet apertures which take the place of the usual sink drain openings when the receiving member is stationary and through which the water and the comminuted waste material pass to the regular sink drain pipe when the unit is operating.

A principal object of the instant invention is to completely eliminate any possibility of stalling of such a disposal unit, such as might result with my prior device above described by virtue of some extremely hard and tough material jamming between the bafiie surface of the stationary comminuting member and the rotatable cutting members, either during operation of the unit, or when it is used as a batch unit and filled with waste material before starting the motor.

Another important object of this invention is to prevent any damage to such a disposal unit, which could result in my prior device, from the introduction thereto of any extremely hard metal objects, while at th same time preventing serious damage to metal tableware, such as knives or spoons, or the like, that might be dropped into the unit.

These objects are attained in the instant unit by employing rotatable cutting elements that are spaced from each other vertically and circumferentially of the receiving member, as in my prior device, but each of which comprises a single tooth extending inwardly beyond the inner wall of the rotatable receiving member which is pivotally mounted on the latter on a vertical pivot and provided with a counterbalancing portion or weight disposed outwardly of its pivot for normally maintaining the cutting tooth in an inner active position for cooperation with the stationary comminuting member during rotation of the receiving member. The weights or counterbalancing portions are so dimensioned and of such mass relative to these tooth elements as a whole that rotation of the receiving member will cause each tooth to deliver a maximum impacting blow of predetermined force against any object instantaneously restrained by the stationary comminuting member, but any impeding force greater than such predetermined force which resists rotation of a tooth element by the receiving member will cause pivotal movement of the tooth element relative to the receiving member to an outer inactive position beyond the outer vertical surface of the stationary comminuting member. This predetermined forc has been selected as one which will be suflicient to cause the tooth elements to cut or shatter either raw or cooked bones of maximum degree of toughness or hardness, but insufiicient to cause the teeth to cut relatively thick or heavy metal objects, such as tableware.

A further object of this invention is to so mount these tooth elements on the vertical wall of the rotatable receiving member that the same may readily be replaced or installed from the exterior of this member and will extend through suitable horizontally disposed slots therein, with such slots and the inner portions of the tooth elements being complementa'lly shaped to prevent the passage of any material through the slots, regardless of whether the tooth elements are in their active or inactive positions.

Another object is to insure the cutting of stringy material, paper, straws, and the like, by pitching the vertical cutting surface of each tooth so that, when the tooth is in its normal active position, this vertical cutting surface will extend angularly relative to a radius of the receiving member, the inner end of the tooth being offset forwardly in the direction of rotation of the receiving member from a radius intersecting the outer end of the cutting surface.

A further important object of the invention is to reduce normal wear of such a disposal unit and bending or misalignment of the receiving member shaft by employing two stationary comminuting members disposed diametrically opposite each other.

Another important object is the provision of novel closure means for such a disposal unit selectively movable from a fully open position giving free access to the interior of the receiving member to a fully closed position, wherein the same will prevent any flow of water from the sink. 7

Another object of the invention is to incorporate novel motor control mechanism in such a unit operable in response to movement of the closure means.

A further object is to prevent a child from inserting its hand into the rotatable receiving member of such a unit, while permitting the charging of the unit with any normal waste material, by forming such closure means as an elongated sleeve extending downwardly into the unit a suflicient distance to prevent finger contact with the cutting elements if a child attempts to insert its hand therein, such sleeve being movable to a raised position to permit the introduction of long bones, or the like, into the unit.

Another object of the invention is to adapt such a disposal unit for use incommercial types of installations, such as grocery stores, where it is desired to maintain a predetermined depth of water in the sink to which the unit is attached, bylmounting a sleeve on the unit which extends vertically said predetermined distance from the bottom of the sink and may be adjusted rotatably to permit complete drainage of the sink.

Numerous otherobjects and advantagesof the invention will be apparentas it is better understood from the following description, which, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a preferred embodiment of the invention comprising a waste disposal unit mounted on a standard sink;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section, similar to Fig. 2, showing one of the pivotally mounted tooth elements in plan view;

Fig. 4 is a detail vertical section taken substantially on the line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view, similar to Fig. 1, showing a modified form of closure means;

Fig. 6 is a detail elevation of the closure sleeve of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section, similar to Fig. 5, of a second modification of the upper portion of the instant unit adapting the same for use in commercial installations; and

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of the upper portion of the unit shown in Fig. 1 illustrating the addition of a motor control means thereto operable by the closure member.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings, reference numeral 11 indicates in general a waste disposal unit comprising a main casing 12 which houses a rotatable water and waste receiving member 13 and an electric motor 14 and is provided with a removable cap member 15 at its lower end. This main casing 12 is divided vertically into two compartments by an intermediate horizontal wall 16, and is provided with a horizontally directed outlet 17 adjacent the intermediate wall 16 which is adapted to be connected in any suitable manner to the standard drain or soil pipe normally provided for a sink. At one side, the main casing 12 also preferably is provided with a hand hole or aperture covered by a suitable plate 18 for a purpose to be described hereafter.

The open upper end of the main casing 12 has a suitable annular flange to which is attached, by means of screws 19, a flanged cover member 21. A flanged ring member 22 is similarly secured to the upper portion of this cover member 21 by screws or bolts 23 and is threadedly engaged at its upper end with a flanged supporting ring 24. The latter is adapted to be mounted within, and extend downwardly through, the standard drain or outlet opening in a sink of any usual construction, which is indicated generally by reference numeral 25. With this arrangement, the disposal unit 11 is connected to, and supported in depending position from, the sink 25. The sup porting ring 24 thus takes the place of the usual apertured drain plate of the sink and provides an inlet opening to the interior of the disposal unit.

A closure means for this inlet opening to the preferred embodiment of the instant unit illustrated in Fig. 1 is provided in the form of a hollow ball valve 26 similar to that disclosed in my copending application for United States Letters Patent, Serial No. 93,977, filed May 18, 1949, issued January 18, 1955, as No. 2,699,555. This ball valve 26 rests upon and cooperates with a valve seat 27 formed as a concave surface in the upper portion of the cover member 21 having the same curvature or radius as the ball valve 26. The ball valve is provided with a circular bore 28 normally vertically disposed in the position illustrated in Fig. l to give free access to the interior of the disposal unit 11. A handle member 29 is attached to the upper portion of the hollow ball valve 26 to facilitate movement of the latter relative to the supporting ring 24 and the valve seat 27 and to limit such movement between the fully opened position of Fig. 1 and a fully closed position of the valve wherein the handle 29 is in its brokenline position of Fig. 1. When the ball valve 26 is rotated in a clockwise direction (viewing Fig. l) on its seat 27 a sufficient distance to move the handle 29 to its broken-line movement-limiting position, the outer surface of the ball valve normally at the right side thereof then will be engaged with the seat 27 to seal the opening of the disposal unit, the lower righthand portion of the bore 28 then being disposed above the lower lefthand edge portion of the valve seat 27.

The motor 14 and receiving member 13 have a common vertical shaft 31 which is retained at its lower end by a suitable thrust bearing 32, of standard construction, mounted in the lower cap 15. Intermediate the motor 14 and the receiving member 13, this shaft 31 is iournaled by a suitable ball bearing race 33 mounted in the intermediate horizontal wall 16 of the casing 12 and secured therein in well-known manner by a suitable retaining ring 34. The retaining ring 34 also secures a water seal 35 of standard construction in sealing engagement with the shaft 31 to prevent any water from leaking into the lower motor-housing chamber of the main casing 12. The upper end of shaft 31 is threaded for engagement in a suitable tapped aperture extending through a central boss 36, provided on the bottom of the receiving member 13, and by a lock nut 37 for insuring retention of the receiving member 13 on the upper end of the shaft. For practical purposes, of course, it will be found most satisfactory to thread the upper end of shaft 31 in a direction opposite to that in which the motor 14 rotates in order to insure against separation of the receiving member 13 from the shaft during operation of the unit.

The receiving member 13 preferably comprises a unitary casting of a suitable lightweight material, such as aluminum, or the like, and may be die-cast if desired.

The lower portion of the inner side walls of the receiving member 13 is formed thicker than the remaining portion of these side walls to define an annular shoulder or horizontal surface 38 (Fig. l) for supporting a bottom plate 39 in spaced relationship to the bottom of the receiving member. This bottom plate 39 preferably is press-fitted into its assembled position of the drawings, and is provided with a plurality of drain or outlet apertures 41 in its central portion, as best seen in Fig. 2. The plate 39 with its apertures 41 thus takes the place of the usual apertured drain plate normally mounted in the sink 25, and functions in the same manner as the latter when the instant unit 11 is not operating. The bottom of the receiving member 13 has a plurality of vertical apertures or drain openings 42 through which any liquid passing through the apertures 41 may flow into the bottom portion of the upper chamber of the main casing 12, as defined by the intermediate wall 16, to the outlet 17 The bottom peripheral portion of the receiving member 13 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced pump apertures 43 sloping downwardly and outwardly at a substantially angle relative to the axis of rotation of the receiving member (Fig. l). The total cross-sectional area of these pump apertures 43 is at least twenty-five percent greater than the total cross-sectional area of the drain apertures 41 in the bottom plate 39. Consequently, these angularly disposed apertures 43 will effect a pumping action during rotation of the receiving member 13 by the motor 14 to maintain a negative or downward pressure in the outlet apertures 41, for a purpose that will be more readily apparent hereinafter.

The receiving member 13 also is provided with a plurality of cutting elements, indicated generally by reference numeral 44 and shown herein as four in number, which are spaced from each other vertically (Fig. l and circumferentially (Fig. 2) of the side wall of member 13. Each of these cutting elements 44 is mounted in a horizontal slot 45 extending through a properly positioned mounting lug 46 and the adjacent portion of the side wall of receiving member 13. The mounting lugs 46 preferably are formed integrally with the side wall of the receiving member 13. Each cutting element 44 is mounted for movement relative to the receiving member 13, preferably pivotal movement, as best illustrated in Fig 1, by means of a tapered pin 47 extending vertically through suitably aligned apertures in the: cutting element and its associated. lug 46;.

As best seen. in Fig. 3, each cutting element 44 and and its receiving slot 45 are complementally shaped to prevent any appreciable leakage therebetween, the inner portion of the cutting element being formed to. provide a single tooth 48 by removing a portion, of. the periphery of the, cutting element to define an arcua-te surface 49 having a radius equal to the distance between the center of the cutting element (and of the pivot pin 47) and the vertical impacting or cutting surface of the tooth 43 is given a forward pitch or radial offset of (Fig. 3), for a purpose to be later described. Inother words, With the cutting element 414 in its normal full-line position of Fig. 3, the vertical cutting surface of its tooth 48, rather than being disposed in the vertical plane defined by a line extending between the; axes of'the: associated pivot pin 47 and the shaft 31, lies in the vertical. plane defined by a radius of' the cutting element 44 disposed 5 forwardly (downwardly in Fig. 3) from. that line.

The forward end of the slot 45 is cut or otherwise formed with the same radius as the arcuate. surface 49 of the cutting element 44, and, the trailing end: (upper end in Fig. 3) of slot 45 preferably is formed as an arcuate surface having the same radius as the outer surface of the cutting element 44. If this trailing end of slot 45 is machined by means of a milling cutter, it may be necessary to position the axis of the cutter reardwardly (upwardly in Fig. 3) from the axis of the apertured lug 46, in order to prevent cutting away of they forward end of slot 45 during such machining operation. If such method of forming slot 45 is employed, this trailing end of the slot will be disposed as illustrated. in Fig. 3 by the dotted line 51. In that case, this trailing end 51 of slot 45 may be employed to limit clockwise rota.- tion of the cutting element 44 on its. pivot pin 47 to the full-line position of Fig. 3. On the other hand, if the trailing end of slot 45 is formed as shown in full lines in Fig. 3, the arcuate surface 49' of the cutting element 44 may be provided with a vertical shoulder 52 disposed forwardly of the vertical cutting surface of tooth 48 for engagement with the complementally shaped inner end portion of the leading end of slot 45 to limit clockwise movement of the cuttin element 44 on its pivot pin 47 relative to the receiving member 13. The outer end of the arcuate surface 49 of each cutting element 44- joins a vertical surface 53 which extends outwardly to the periphery of the cutting element and is angularly disposed relative to a radius of cutting element 44 to substantially conform to the outer vertical surface of the receiving member 13 and act as a stop to limit counterclockwise rotation of the cutting element to the brokenline position of Fig. 3.

This broken line position of the cutting element 44 illustrated in Fig 3 is its inactive position, and movement of the cutting element thereto may be caused, as will be explained in greater detail hereafter, by the application of a resisting force against the vertical cutting surface of tooth. 48, in excess of a predetermined amount, during rotation of the receiving member 13. Each cutting element 44 normally is maintained in its active or full-line position of Fig. 3 during rotationof the receiving member by a counterbalancing portion or weight comprising, in the preferred embodiment of Figs. 1-3, a pair of segmentally shaped weights 54 mounted on opposite sides of the outer portion of the cutting element 44 and rigidly secured thereto by a vertically disposed rivet 55. Since rotation of receiving member 13 is imparted to the cutting element 44 by its pivot pin. 47, the centrifugal forces resulting from the mass of the rotating cutting element and its counterbalancing portions 54, 55 will maintain the cutting element 44 in its active, full-line position of Fig. 3. It will be understood that the specific shape and method of mounting the weight or weights-54 may be altered as desired; the. only important feature being that means. are provided for so mounting each cutting element 4.4 that it normally will rotate with. the receiving member 13 in its full-line active position of Fig. 3 and, upon the application to or against the vertical cutting surface of its tooth 48 of a resistant force greater than a predetermined maximum. impacting. or cutting force desired to be delivered thereby, the, cutting element 44 will be moved relative to the receiving member 13 to an inactive position, as illustrated in broken lines in Fig. 3. In the present embodiment, the mounting of the cutting elements 44 is pivotal and the counterbalancing members 54, 55 are disposed outwardly from such pivots relative to the center of rotation of their supporting member 13 for insuring the desired action, but it is contemplated that the same general results may be. obtained by substituting springs for the counterbalancing members 54, 55 and mounting the cutting elements 44' for translational movement relative to member 13.

Stationary comminuting means are provided, for cooperation with the cutting elements 44, which. are illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 as a pair of diametrically opposed bafiie members 56 formed integrally with the cover member 21 and extending downwardly therefrom into the receiving member 13'. Each of these stationary comminu-ting members 56 is formed similarly to the baflle member 27 of" my prior Patent No. 2,646,222, above identified. Since each of the instant baffle members 56 is constructed similarly to the other, only one of them will. be described in detail. The outer vertical face of each member 56 is. convexly shaped with the same curvature as that of the inner surface of the vertical wall of the receiving member 13 (Fig. 2), and is disposed in as close to contacting relationship therewith as. possible without causing any binding action against the receiving member 13. The bottom. end of the baffle member- 56 is similarly disposed in as close to possible contacting relationship with. the bottom plate 39 (Fig. 1). Consequently, the stationary comminuting members 56 will not interfere with. rotation of. the receiving member 13, but even extremelysmall, particles of solid material will not be able to be wedged therebetween.

Each stationary member 56 is provided in itsouter vertical surface with a. plurality of vertically spaced, horizontal slots 57 of slightly greater width and depth than the teeth 48 of, the cutting elements 44, each such slot being aligned horizontally with one of said cutting elements. Consequently, since the instant embodiment of the invention contemplates the use of four cutting elements 44, there are four such. horizontal slots 57 provided in each of the stationary comminuting members 56. The outer vertical surface ofleach stationary member 56 also is provided with a vertically extending relief slot 58, these slots 57 and 58 cooperating with the teeth 43 in similar manner to the coaction between. the cutting elements 46 and the slots 31 and 51 of my said Patent No. 2,646,222.. As best seen in Fig. 4, the relief slot 58 extends from the bottom of the stationary member 56 to the upper surface of the topmost horizontal slot 57'.

The lateral sides of each of the stationary members 56 are tapered generally downwardly. For a purpose to be later described, such tapering of the entry side, of each stationary member 56 (being that side approached. by the cutting elements 44 during rotation of the receiving member 13) is eifectedby successive cut-backs or vertical surfaces 59 (Fig. 4) successively spaced closer to the relief slot 58 from top to bottom of the stationary member; upper surfaces of adjacent horizontal slots 57. As best seen in Fig. 2', each such vertical surface 59' is disposed ina plane defined by a radius extending from the center of rotation of the receiving member 13, and these vertical surfaces comprise object-detaining faces of the stationary comminuting members 56.

Each of these vertical faces 59 extends between. the

7 Operation When the above described unit 11 of Fig. l is stationary, as previously noted, the closure member 26 may be employed either to prevent or permit drainage of liquid from the sink 25. When this ball valve 26 is open, the bottom plate 39, with its apertures 41, functions in the same manner as the usual sink drain plate, and permits the flow of any liquid in the sink through the drain openings 42 to the outlet 17 connected to the standard soil pipe. Any solid waste material to be disposed of must first be comminuted to enable it to be flushed through the discharge apertures 41 of the drain plate 39. This function is performed by the comminutor means comprising the cutting elements 44 and the stationary bafiie members 56. For such comminuting action, the instant unit 11 may either be loaded as a batch unit and the motor 14 subsequently started, or the motor may first be energized and the waste material to be disposed of thereafter introduced into the unit through the open or partially open closure member 26. During operation of the unit, water, either cold or hot, must be introduced into the unit in sufficient quantity through the ball valve 26. It is not necessary that valve 26 be maintained in its full-line fully open position of Fig. l to admit water to the unit during its operation, but only that it be opened a short distance sufiicient to enable water to fiow therethrough into the unit from the sink 25.

As will be readily appreciated, water introduced to the unit while the receiving member 13 is rotating, or at least a predetermined quantity of such water, will be swirled around by the receiving member and, in response to centrifugal action, will form a swirling wall of water around the inner periphery of the receiving member 13 in the nature of a whirlpool having its inner surface disposed substantially in the curved plane defined by the broken line 61 of Fig. 1. In response to the action of the water thus agitated and to the rotation of the receiving member 13, any solid waste material introduced into the unit greater in size than the cross-section of one of the outlet apertures 41 will be delivered against one or more of the objectdetaining faces 59 to receive one or more cutting actions by the teeth 48 of the associated cutting elements 44. These object-detaining faces 59 of the stationary comminuting members 56 are not intended to retain solid objects for continuous cutting action by the elements 44, since such action would not best accomplish a complete reduction of the solid waste material to the necessary minute form of particles capable of discharge through the outlet apertures 41. Consequently, the stationary baflle members 56 are shaped as previously described so that any solid waste material directed against their object- .detaining edges will tend to move downwardly along the latter as successive cutting elements 44 cut away or shatter small portions thereof.

During normal operations, where a number of different pieces of solid waste material are being acted upon simultaneously, successive pieces will tend to move those first engaged by one of the stationary members 56 away from its object-detaining faces 59, but such action is desirable since it will result in the different pieces of solid material having successive increments of comminuting actions applied to different portions thereof. In fact, one of the practical advantages of the instant unit is that such normal action prevents some types of waste material, such as chunks of solid fat, from becoming lodged against the receiving or detaining edge of a stationary baffie member 56 and having only a small groove cut therethrough by each of those of the rotating elements 44 which engage it. While the tooth portion 48 of each cutting element 44 extends only a relatively short distance into the interior of the receiving member 13, the total number of comminuting actions is extremely large, since the receiving member 13 is rotated very rapidly. That water or other liquid introduced into the unit 11 during its operation in excess of the amount maintained against the walls of the rotating unit, as above described, will flow downwardly through the outlet apertures 41, and such discharge of this excess liquid is assured by the pumping action previously noted which is effected by the angular apertures 43. Consequently, as the solid waste material introduced into the unit is reduced to particles smaller in size than the cross-sectional area of the outlet aperture 41, such reduced particles will be carried by the excess liquid through the apertures 41 and 43 for discharge through the outlet 17 to the standard soil pipe.

The operation of the instant unit as above described does not differ materially from that of the unit of my prior Patent No. 2,646,222. However, rather than one stationary bafiie member as in said prior device, I have provided two such stationary members 56 in the instant unit. While the two stationary members may slow the cutting action of the unit somewhat due to increased turbulence of the liquid introduced thereto, any such slowing action will be more than compensated for by the increased number of individual comminuting actions thus afforded. An additional advantage of the two stationary members 56 lies in the compensating tilt-resisting reaction of one or the other of them to prevent any nus-alignment of the receiving unit 13 or bending of the shaft 31.

The primary differences between the instant unit and that of my prior Patent No. 2,646,222, however, lie in the rotating comminuting or cutting elements, their operations and functions. As previously described herein, rotation of the receiving member 13 is imparted to each of the cutting elements 44 by their mounting pins 47, and during operation of the unit, the counterbalancing portions 54, 55 maintain the cutting elements 44 in their full-line, active or operative position of Fig. 3. It has been determined that two foot-pounds of energy delivered by a metal object of the area of the vertical striking face of a tooth 48 relatively dimensioned as illustrated herein as an impacting force or blow is sufficient to cut or shatter either raw or cooked bones of maximum degree of toughness or hardness, but is insufficient to seriously damage any relatively thick or heavy metal objects, including tableware. Consequently, the instant unit has been so dimensioned and designed that each tooth 48 of a cutting element 44 will deliver such maximum impacting force against any object detained in its path of movement by one of the stationary baffle members 56. Whenever any solid material detained by a stationary member 56 in the path of movement of a tooth 48 presents an impeding force to the normal movement of the tooth by the receiving member 13 greater than such predetermined maximum force, the cutting element 44 will be moved thereby relative to the receiving member 13 to its brokenline, inactive or inoperative position of Fig. 3. Immediately upon thus clearing and passing such dctaincd solid material, the cutting element 44 will be returned to its active position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 3, in response to the centrifugal force of its counterbalancing portions 54, 55. As has been described hereinbeforc, such movement of a cutting element 44 between its active and inactive positions is limited by contact of its vertical surface 53 with the outer surface of the receiving member 13, and its vertical shoulder 52 with the inner portion of the forward end of its associated slot 45, respectively. And the complemental shaping of the slot 45 and cutting element 44 will prevent the passage of any material therebetween, regardless of whether the tooth elements are in their active or inactive positions. The cutting of stringy material, paper, straws, and the like, is insured with the instant structure by forming the vertical cutting surface of each tooth 48 with a forward and inwardly directed inclination or pitch, as previously described. Since each associated object-detaining face 59 is in a vertical plane defined by a radius of the receiving member 13, such pitch of the vertical impacting surface of its associated tooth 43 will cause the latter to have somewhat of a hooking action against any such material detained thereby.

The hand hole and covering plate 18 may be provided in and on the outer casing 12 to facilitate removal and replacement of any of the cutting elements 44, if desired, without necessitating disassembly of the unit. Removal of the cover plate 18 will give access to any one of the cutting elements 44 brought into alignment therewith, so that its pivot pin 47 may be pushed upwardly to permit outward removal of such cutting element.

Any solid waste material other than relatively heavy metallic pieces introduced into the unit is reduced in size by the successive comminuting actions of the several cutting elements 44 co-acting with their object-detaining faces h of the stationary comminuting members 56. The resulting comminuted particles will be flowed inwardly by the liquid in the unit and, when of sufficiently small size, will be carried by the excess liquid through the discharge apertures 41. If these particles have not been reduced sufiiciently in size to permit passage through apertures 41, they will again be carried outwardly and upwardly by centrifugal force and the swirling action of the liquid in the unit into detained relationship with the stationary baffle members 56. The relief groove 58 functions to trap any solid particles which are larger than the apertures 41 but small enough to pass through a slot 57 when its tooth 48 is not in the slot, so as to insure further comminuting action thereof in the next passage through a slot 57 of its associated cutting element. At the same time, the instant unit is inherently of a self-cleaning nature, and after completion of a disposal operation, turning off of the motor 14 to permit the receiving member 13 to come to rest will result in that liquid previously retained against the wall of the receiving member by centrifugal force draining through the outlet apertures 41.

If a relatively heavy metallic object, such as a piece of tableware, inadvertently is introduced into the unit 11 while the same is operating, no damage to the unit will result, since the several cutting elements 44'will merely be deflected thereby to their inactive positions each time they contact such relatively heavy metallic object. The operator of the unit will be apprised of the presence of such metallic objects therein by the resulting noise of such operation, so that he may stop the unit and extract the offending article therefrom. It has been found in practice that the instant unit will not seriously damage a piece of tableware, or the like, introduced thereto, although it will dispose of any type of bone in considerably less than two minutes of operation. The bore 28 of the ball valve 26 is approximately 2 /2 inches in diameter, which has been found to be sufficiently large to permit the introduction of any normal waste material which it is desired to dispose of, while at the same time being small enough to prevent anyone from inserting their hand downwardly into the unit far enough to permit finger contact with the rotating cutting elements 44. In the event it is desired to remove a small. object from the bottom of the receiving unit 13, a pair of kichen tongs, or the like, may be employed.

The modified construction illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 of the instant drawings comprises a disposal unit 11a similar to that previously described but having a different closure means incorporated therein. This modified unit 11a includes a main casing 12a similar to the main casing 12 of the unit 11 and secured to a flanged cover member 61, substituted for the cover member 21, by suitable bolts 62 which extend downwardly to attach a motor casing (not shown) thereto. The unit 11a also includes a receiving member 13 identical to that illustrated in Fig. 1, and the cover member 61 has a stationary comminut'ing or baffle member 56 formed integrally therewith which is the same as the members 56 of Fig. 1. The upper end of the cover member 61 is internally threaded for engagement with the lower, externally threaded end of a flanged supporting ring 63 similar in function to the pre viously described supporting ring 24. The ring 63 is mounted in the usual drain opening of the sink 25 and retained therein by a suitable gasket ring 64.

Slidably mounted in the supporting ring 63 is an elongated sleeve 65 shaped at its upper end to conform with the enlarged upper end of the bore of ring 63 and to provide an annular valve seat 66. A removable valve 67 is mountable in the upper end of the sleeve 65 and is provided with an annular flange for sealing engagement with the valve seat 66 when in its position of Fig. 5. The skirt portion of this valve 67 is provided with a bayonet-type slot 68 adapted to cooperate with an inwardly extending pin 69 mounted in the sleeve 65. The valve 67 may be removed from the sleeve 65 by upward movement thereof from the position shown in Fig. 5. It also may be retained in the sleeve 65 in a partially open position by lifting the same sufiiciently to clear the vertical portion of slot 68 from pin 69 and rotating the valve slightly to permit the pin 69 to maintain it in a partially raised position by engagement with the lower edge of the valve skirt. It will be understood that the skirt portion of valve 67 does not have a sealing function with respect to the sleeve 65.

The sleeve 65 is provided with a bayonet slot 71 (Fig. 6) for cooperation with a pin or boit 72 mounted in and extending horizontally into the bore of the cover member 61. The bolt 72 and slot 71 thus limit movement of the sleeve 65 relative to the cover member 61. In its normal position of Fig. 5, the sleeve 65 extends downwardly a sufficient distance to prevent even the smallest child from inserting its hand and arm a sufiicient distance into the unit to permit finger contact with the rotating cutting elements therein, when the valve 67 has been removed. By virtue of such functions, the sleeve 65 also prevents access to the cutting elements of any extremely long piece of solid waste material. Therefore, it is desirable on occasion to permit the sleeve 65 to be raised from this normal position to enable such a long piece of solid waste material to be engaged at its lower end by the rotating cutting elements. The slot 71 permits such lifting of the sleeve 65, and the lower horizontal portion thereof cooperates with the bolt 72 to retain the sleeve in'its maximum raised position, if a slight degree of rotation is imparted to the sleeve following the lifting thereof to its uppermost position. The valve 67 may be employed to facilitate and effect such lifting and rotation of the sleeve 65. If valve 67 is rotated in a clockwise direction (looking down thereon) from its normal closed position of Fig. 5, the slot 68 will be moved to have its other or left-hand end engaged by the pin 69. Subsequent lifting of valve 67 by means of its handle will result in lifting of the sleeve 65. Further rotation of valve 67 in a clockwise direction, with the sleeve in its uppermost position, will be transmitted to the sleeve by the slot 68 and pin 69 to move the lower horizontal portion of slot 71 into engagement with bolt 72. The valve 67 then may be removed from the sleeve 65 without disturbing such positioning of the sleeve.

The further modification illustrated in Fig. 7 is intended specifically for use in commercial types of installations, such as grocery stores, where it is desired to maintain a predetermined depth of water in the sink to which the unit is attached during use of the unit. (Sleeve 65 of Figs. 5 and 6 cannot be successfully employed for such purposes, since it would require a leak-proof joinder between the sleeve and the supporting ring 63.) The modified unit of Fig. 7, which is designated generally by reference numeral 11b, is similar in all respects to the unit 11 of Fig. 1, except that it is provided with a casing cover member 73 threadedly engaging at its upper end a supporting sleeve 74 mounted in the usual drain opening of the sink 25. The upper end of this supporting sleeve '74 extends a short distance above the bottom of the sink 25 and is provided with a plurality of horizontally disposed and circumferentially spaced drain apertures 75. Rotatably mounted upon this upper end of the supporting sleeve 74, and tightly engaging the same, is the lower end of an upper sleeve 76 which extends upwardly from the bottom of sink 25 for the desired predetermined distance. This upper sleeve 76 is provided with a plurality of drain apertures 77 similar in all respect to, and alignable with, the apertures 75 to permit drainage of water or other liquid from the sink into the unit 11b. Rotation of the upper sleeve 76 relative to the supporting sleeve 74 may be effected to dispose the apertures 77 between, and out of alignment with, the apertures 75 to prevent such drainage. When so disposed relative to the supporting sleeve 74, the upper sleeve 76 will permit accumulation of water in the sink 25 until the water flows over the upper edge of the sleeve into the disposal unit 11b. Such arrangement is of particular advantage in a grocery store, where it is desired to wash produce and readily dispose of that portion thereof which is not marketable.

Novel motor control mechanism may readily be incorporated in the instant unit, if desired, so as to be operable in respect to movement of the closure means. Such an arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 8, wherein a ball valve 26a, otherwise identical to the ball valve 26 of Fig. l, is provided with a trunnion pin 78 extending horizontally through a suitable aperture in the ring member 22. Mounted on the outer end of this trunnion pin 73, by means of a suitable strap bracket 79, is a mercury switch 81 which is connected electrically in series, in wellknown manner, with the motor 14. When in the normal horizontal position of Fig. 8, the switch 81 is open, thereby disconnecting the motor 14 from its source of electrical energy. As soon as the closure member 26a is moved by its handle 29 from such fully open position in a clockwise direction (viewing Fig. 8) to a position defined by the broken line 82, the usual contacts contained in the mercury switch 81 will be closed to cause the energization of motor 14. The switch 81 is so designed that its contacts will remain closed from that position throughout its movement in response to further closure of the ball valve 26a until the handle 29 thereof reaches a second broken line 83 of Fig. 8. When in this latter position, the closure member 26a still permits a sufficient supply of water to enter the disposal unit. Movement of the handle 29 from alignment with the broken line 83 to completely close the unit, that is to its broken line position at the right in Fig. 8, will open the mercury switch 81 to de-energize motor 14 and stop the unit. Thus a housewife may still employ the closure member 26a to prevent drainage from the sink, as whenever she desires to use the latter for dish-washing purposes, and at the same time automatically start and stop the disposal unit in response to movement of its closure means.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the forms hereinbefore described being merely preferred embodiments thereof.

l claim:

1. A waste disposal unit, comprising a hollow cylind rical waste material receiving member mounted for rotation on a vertical axis and having an open upper end and a bottom provided with discharge means limiting the size of waste material solids dischargeable therethrough, means for rotating said member, stationary baflle means extending downwardly into said receiving member through said open upper end closely adjacent the vertical side wall thereof and having an outer vertical surface with a plurality of horizontal slots therein, cutting elements mounted on the vertical side wall of said receiving member for movement relative thereto between active and inactive positions and for rotation therewith, said cutting elements having tooth portions normally extending interiorly of said receiving member, when in active position, in alignment with said slots for cooperation with said stationary baffie means to comminute solid waste material introduced into the receiving member, and means attached to each said cutting element for yieldably constraining the same toward active position during rotation of said receiving member with a predetermined force and yieldable, in response to the application of a force greater than said predetermined force to the tooth portion of its cutting element in a direction opposite that of the rotation of said receiving member, to enable said greater force to move the cutting element relative to the receiving member into inactive position.

2. In a waste disposal unit having a hollow cylindrical waste material receiving member mounted for rotation on a vertical axis and having an open upper end and a bottom provided with discharge means limiting the size of waste material solids dischargcable therethrough, means for rotating said member, and stationary baffle means extending downwardly into said receiving member through said open upper end closely adjacent the vertical side wall thereof; cutting elements pivotally mounted on the vertical side wall of said receiving member for move ment therewith during rotation thereof and for movement relative thereto between active and inactive positions, each said cutting element having a tooth normally extending interiorly of said receiving member in active position for cooperation with said stationary bafile means to comminute solid waste material introduced into the receiving member, and counterbalancing means attached to the outer portion of each said cutting element for yieldably applying a predetermined force thereto during rotation of said receiving member to maintain the cutting element in active position, said counterba lancing means being yieldable in response to the application of a force greater than said predetermined force to the tooth of its cutting element in a direction opposite that of the rotation of said receiving member to cause said greater force to move the cutting element relative to the receiving memer into inactive position.

3. A waste disposal unit, comprising a rotatable hollow waste-receiving cylinder having an open upper end and a bottom provided with discharge means limiting the size of waste material solids dischargeable therethrough, stationary comminuting means comprising a battle member extending downwardly into said cylinder closely adjacent the inner wall thereof, movable comminuating means comprising a cutting element rotatable by said cylinder and having an inner portion normally extending into active position inwardly of the inner wall of said cylinder for cooperation with said bafile member to comminute solid waste material introduced into the cylinder, means for mounting said cutting element on said cylinder for movement relative thereto between active and inactive positions, and means attached to said cutting element for normally maintaining the same in active position during rotation of the cylinder and yieldable, in response to the application of a resistant force to said inner portion of the cutting element greater than a predetermined maximum force, to permit such resistant force to move said cutting element to inactive position.

4. A waste disposal unit according to claim 3, wherein said last recited means comprises counterbalancing weight means attached to the outer portion of said cutting element.

5. A waste disposal unit according to claim 4, wherein said mounting means comprises a vertical pivot engaging said cutting element intermediate its inner and outer portions.

6. A waste disposal unit, comprising an outer casing supportable from a sink, a hollow waste receiving member rotatably mounted within said casing, comminuting members mounted on and extending through walls of said waste receiving member for rotation therewith, means for detachably securing said comminuting members to said waste receiving member disposed exteriorly of the 13 latter, said casing having an aperture in a side wall thereof to give access to said retaining means without requiring removal of said waste receiving member from said casing, and closure means for said casing aperture removable to facilitate removal and substitution of said comminuting members.

7. In a waste disposal unit having a hollow rotatable cylinder with an open end for receiving waste material to be disposed of and an opposite end member provided with discharge means limiting the size of Waste material solids discharge able therethrough, and stationary comminuting means extending through said open end into the interior of said cylinder in closely adjacent relation to the inner wall thereof; movable comminuting means, comprising a cutting member having an impacting face parallel to the axis of rotation of said cylinder and normally disposed in active position interionly of the cylinder for cooperation with said stationary comminuting means during rotation of the cylinder to comminute solid waste material introduced into the cylinder, said cylinder having a slot formed in the wall thereof perpendicular to its axis of rotation for receiving said cutting member, a pivot pin mounted on said cylinder parallel to the axis of rotation thereof for pivotally mounting said cutting member on the cylinder, and means attached to the outer portion of said cutting member for yieldably applying a predetermined force thereto during rotation of said cylinder to maintain said impacting face in active position and yieldable, in response to a resistant force against said impacting face greater than said predetermined force, to enable such resistant force to move said cutting member on said pivot pin to an inactive position to dispose said impacting face within said slot.

8. A waste disposal unit according to claim 7, wherein said slot in the wall of the cylinder and said cutting member are complementally shaped to prevent the outward passage of material through the slot regardless of the position of said cutting member relative to said cylinder.

9. A waste disposal unit according to claim 8, wherein said cutting member is provided with means cooperating with said cylinder for confining movement of the cutting member relative to the cylinder to movement between said active and inactive positions.

10. A waste disposal unit, comprising a rotatable hollow waste receiving cylinder having an open upper end and a bottom provided with discharge means limiting the size of Waste material solids dischargeable therethrough, stationary comminuting means comprising a horizontally slotted bafile member extending downwardly into said cylinder closely adjacent the inner wall thereof, movable comminuting means comprising a cutting element rotatable by said cylinder and having an inner tooth portion normally extending into active position inwardly of the inner wall of said cylinder for cooperation with said slotted battle member to comminute solid waste material introduced into the cylinder, said tooth portion having a vertical impacting surface extending inwardly and forwardly in the direction of rotation of said cylinder to define a small angle with a radius of the cylinder when the cutting element is in active position, means for mounting said cutting element on said cylinder for movement relative thereto between active and inactive positions, and means attached to said cutting element for normally maintaining the same in active position during rotation of the cylinder and yieldable, in response to the application of a resistant force to said impacting surface greater than a predetermined maximum force, to permit such resistant force to move said cutting element to inactive position.

11. A waste disposal unit, comprising a hollow rotatable cylinder having an open end for receiving waste material to be disposed of, stationary comminuting means extending into the interior of said cylinder in closely adjacent relation to the inner wall thereof, movable comminuting means carried by said cylinder for cooperation with said stationary comminuting means during rotation of the cylinder to comminute solid waste material introduced into the cylinder through said open end, closure means for the open end of said cylinder including a member mounted for limited movement relative thereto and selectively movable between a fully open position giving access to the interior of the cylinder and a fully closed position to water-seal said open end of the cylinder, an electric motor for rotating said cylinder, and switch means for controlling operation of said motor operable in response to movement of said member to start the motor when said member is disposed between said open and closed positions and to stop said motor when said member is in either fully open or fully closed position.

12. A waste disposal unit, comprising a hollow rotatable cylinder having an open end for receiving waste material to be disposed of, stationary comminuting means extending into the interior of said cylinder in closely adjacent relation to the inner wall thereof, movable comminuting means carried by said cylinder for cooperation With said stationary comminuting means during rotation of the cylinder to comminute solid waste material introduced into the cylinder through said open end, and closure means for the open end of said cylinder, comprising a stationary concave valve seat having an aperture therethrough, and a hollow ball valve movably seated thereon and having the same outer radius as that of said concave valve seat and a bore extending therethrough with a diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of the aperture in said valve seat said ball valve being selectively movable between a fully open position giving access to the interior of the cylinder and a fully closed position to seal said open end of the cylinder.

13. A waste disposal unit, comprising a hollow rotatable cylinder having an open end for receiving waste material to be disposed of, stationary comminuting means extending into the interior of said cylinder in closely adjacent relation to the inner wall thereof, movable comminuting means carried by said cylinder for cooperation with said stationary comminuting means during rotation of the cylinder to comminute solid waste material introduced into the cylinder through said open end, and closure means for the open end of the cylinder, comprising an annular valve seat, a valve member mounted on said valve seat to seal said open end of the cylinder and removable therefrom to give free access to the interior of the cylinder, and movement-limiting means disposed interiorly of said valve seat for cooperation with said valve member to maintain the same in spaced relation to said valve seat in a partially open position, said closure means including an elongated sleeve slidably mounted in the open end of said cylinder having said annular valve seat formed interiorly thereof and said movement-limiting means disposed therein, and said valve member having means formed thereon for cooperation with said movement-limiting means in response to rotation of the valve member to permit outward movement of said sleeve relative to the cylinder in response to the subsequent movement of said valve member rela tive to the cylinder axially of the latter.

14. In a waste disposal unit according to claim 13, means extending inwardly of said cylinder for cooperation with said elongated sleeve to limit movement thereof relative to the cylinder between an inner position in which the inner end of said sleeve is disposed adjacent said movable comminuting means and an outer position in which the inner end of said sleeve is withdrawn a substantial distance from said movable comminuting means.

15. A garbage disposal unit, comprising a hollow cylindrical member having an open end for receiving waste material to be disposed of and having discharge means limiting the size of waste material solids dischargeable therethrough, said cylindrical member being mounted for rotation on its longitudinal axis, movable comminuting members mounted interiorly of said cylindrical member in axially spaced relationship to rotate with said cylindrical member and for movement relative thereto, and a pair of stationary comminuting members disposed in diametrically opposed relationship to each other interiorly of said cylindrical member and each having an outer surface in substantial contact with the inner surface of the cylindrical member having slots permitting passage of said movable comminuting members therethrough, each said stationary member having a downwardly decreasing horizontal cross-sectional area defined at the comminuting member entrance ends of said slots by waste material detaining faces spaced from each other in the direction of rotation of said cylindrical member.

16. In a waste disposal unit having rotatable hollow means defined by an end wall and side walls substantially at right angles thereto for receiving therein sold waste material and a supply of liquid, a comminutor, and rotatable discharge means for maintaining a predetermined quantity of liquid in the hollow receiving means duringrotation and for discharging any liquid in excess thereof, said discharge means including apertures in said end wall of predetermined size to determine the maximum size of particles of solid material which will be permitted to pass therethrough with said liquid; a cutting element comprising a part of said comminutor and mounted on a said side wall for rotation by said hollow receiving means and for movement relative thereto between active and inactive positions, and means for yieldably applying a predetermined force to said cutting element during rotation of said receiving means to maintain the cutting element in active position, said last recited means being yieldable in response to the application of a force greater than said predetermined force to said cutting element in a direction opposite that of the rotation of said receiving means to cause said greater force to move the cutting element relative to the receiving means into inactive position.

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